How Companies Hire Employees

Step-by-Step Guide to How Hiring Works

How do companies hire employees? Hiring, from the job applicant perspective, includes several steps. From the time you apply for a job until the time you accept a job offer, you will go through a series of steps as you progress through the recruiting and hiring process from completing a job application to coming on board as a new employee.

02

Once you have applied, applicant tracking systems are used by many employers to process job applications and to manage the hiring process.

Applicant tracking systems provide an automated way for companies to manage the entire recruiting process, from receiving applications to hiring employees. These computer systems also screen applications to help employers determine which applicants they will interview for a job.

03

Some companies test applicants for employment to determine if the candidate is a good match for the jobs they are hiring for. Companies who conduct pre-employment tests (talent assessments) are seeking applicants that match their hiring criteria.

05

Even though it may seem like a lot of work, especially when you have gone to multiple interviews, it's important to follow up after each step in the interview process. In fact, the most important thing you can do is to follow up and reiterate your interest in the position and to thank the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you.

Whether it's an email or a phone call, reiterating your interest in the position and the company is always a good idea.

07

You may receive a job offer contingent on a background check and/or a credit check. Or, a background check may be conducted prior to a company offering a job. What the company learns during the background check could result in you not getting a job offer or in the job offer being withdrawn.

08

Companies are running credit checks on job applicants more often and are using that credit information as part of the process when making hiring decisions. An employment credit report includes identifying information, including name, address, previous addresses, and social security number.

A credit check also shows the debt you have incurred your payment history, including late payments. Do keep in mind that some states and local municipalities have regulated the use of credit reports and placed restrictions on how the information can be utilized by employers.

11

When you have made it through the challenging hiring process, the final step will be a job offer. Before you accept, it's important to evaluate the compensation and benefits package, consider whether you want to make a counter offer or negotiate salary, and then accept (or reject) the job offer.

12

The final step in the hiring process is completing the paperwork you will need to come on board as an employee of the company. The forms you will need to complete include eligibility to work forms, tax withholding forms, and company specific paperwork.